I don't think we've fully discussed Jurgen Klinsmann's recent comments to Steven Goff at the Washington Post regarding the status of Bill Hamid and Sean Johnson with the USMNT. Can these be read as anything other than slams on both?
Sure, Hamid has had some injuries, so Klinsmann's comments that keepers need to be reliable week in and week out hold some truth. But do we really think Hamid isn't applying what he learned at USMNT camp to his MLS campaign with D.C. United? Is Klinsmann really saying Hamid has made no progress over the last few years either on the field or in the minds of the USMNT coaches?
For those of us who have watched Hamid over the years, we have seen significant growth from what was already a high level of play. I must say, I'm stumped by Klinsmann's comments. Not surprised, but stumped.
I'm a fan, so my glasses are tinted a nice shade of rose, but Hamid's performances over the last two seasons show he can succeed at the highest level, both with the national team and in club soccer. Apparently his national team coach doesn't view him the same way, however.
On D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid's absence from the national team ...
"Both young keepers [Hamid and Chicago's Sean Johnson] are still going through ups and downs — physically with injuries and also with performance. Billy has some days he is phenomenal and then the next day, ‘Oh, I have an injury, I'm out.' It's a workload they are going through. For a goalkeeper, the most important thing is consistency week in and week out.
"It's also applying your game we ask you to play to your club, if possible: speed up things, play quickly out of the back, come out of your box if you need to close the gap toward your backline - things we want to see. If they don't do that in their club environment, it doesn't make it easy for them coming back to our environment. With Sean over Billy [in this window], the schedule was better.
"We try to keep them connected, but really they haven't gotten closer to the top two guys [Tim Howard and Brad Guzan] at all. [William] Yarbrough is in a similar situation. The reality is there are two big stars and Nick Rimando is always the backup because he gives 100 percent seriousness and is a team guy. The goalkeeping situation hasn't changed at all for almost four years, and we've given the youngsters many, many chances."
What's your view of Klinsmann's comments regarding Hamid? Am I blowing this out of proportion?
